Safraz Ishmael

Partner

About

Safraz Ishmael is a litigator specializing in high-stakes technology and life sciences related business disputes, with a particular emphasis on patent, trade secret, and trademark litigation. He holds a graduate degree in physics, and undergraduate degrees in physics and computer science.

Safraz represents his clients in all phases of the trial and appeal process in federal courts throughout the United States, as well as in the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) and in inter partes review (IPR) proceedings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Safraz has represented some of the world's largest life sciences and technology companies in patent and trade secret litigations involving an extensive range of technologies, including technologies such as:

• AI-powered voice recognition systems;
• cellular and wireless communications protocols and standards;
• computer software and electronics;
• transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgical systems;
• haptic feedback systems for robotic surgery;
• biomedical implants;
• point of care blood diagnostic systems and software;
• lasers and fiber optics;
• human-computer interfaces such as displays and data entry devices; and
• semiconductor manufacturing methods and systems.

In recognition of his legal practice Safraz has been repeatedly selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America guide (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), and he was featured by the national legal publication Law360 as a "Minority Powerbroker." Safraz was also named a Massachusetts "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers Magazine. He has been quoted and/or appeared in such publications as the Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal, Law360, National Law Journal, IP Frontline, and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Safraz devotes a significant amount of his time to representing low-income clients in need of legal representation on a pro bono basis. He has worked on several major pro bono litigations, alongside lawyers at the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, the Greater Boston Legal Services, and on civil rights matters for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Active in Boston's legal community, Safraz serves on the Board of Directors of the Alan D. Lourie Boston Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston. Safraz is also active in Boston's entrepreneurship and service community, serving on the Board of Directors of Seeding Labs, a non-profit corporation that provides surplus laboratory equipment to scientists in developing countries.

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and Retail Life Sciences Media, Sport and Entertainment Technology Intellectual Property Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations Technology and Commercial Transactions

Bar admissionsMassachusetts

CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of MassachusettsUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of TexasUnited States District Court for the Western District of WisconsinUnited States Court of Appeals for the First CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

EXPERIENCE

Recent Patent Infringement Lawsuits

Defended AI and speech analytics technology company against a patent infringement lawsuit brought by a global public company competitor. Secured for the client major victories at the Patent Office in inter-partes review trials where the Patent Office canceled many of the key patent claims in the plaintiff’s asserted portfolio of patents, ultimately leading to a settlement and dismissal of the litigation
Represented global semiconductor manufacturing company in several patent infringement lawsuits filed in multiple venues, including in the US International Trade Commission and the District of Delaware.
Represented world leading television manufacturers in a series of standard-essential patent litigations, relating to digital television broadcast and video encoding standards.
Defended multinational personal computer developer in a major patent infringement lawsuit concerning Wi-Fi standards.
Represented multinational cloud computing service provider in a major patent infringement lawsuit brought against a competitor founded by a former client employee.
Defending Fortune 25 retailer in a patent infringement lawsuit directed at software used in the client’s retail media advertising business.

Recent Trade Secret, Trademark, and False Advertising Lawsuits

Trial counsel, and defended at a jury trial, food and dietary supplement retailer accused of trademark infringement and false advertising. After a one-week trial and a less than a 30-minute jury deliberation, the Delaware federal jury returned a complete defense verdict in our favor.
Represented national franchisor of home and personal care products in a major trade secret misappropriation (Defend Trade Secrets Act), trademark infringement, and false advertising litigation. The well-publicized and extensive litigation involved more than a dozen counts filed across two federal court lawsuits.
Represented global semiconductor company in a trade secret misappropriation lawsuit brought under the Defend Trade Secrets Act and filed against competitor company accused of using technology acquired from client’s former employees.
Represented multi-national dental imaging device manufacturer in a trademark infringement, false advertising, and unfair competition lawsuit against a national reseller.

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center

M.S., Physics, University of Maryland

B.S., Computer Science, University of Maryland

Awards